Connection
by FiveRivers
Summary: A sequel to Collateral. Danny is recovering from being shot in the head and his subsequent coma. Vlad is recovering from being a massive jerk. Sadly, the organization that tried to assassinate Vlad is also recovering from their near-destruction, and they want payback. Irregular updates.
1. Chapter 1

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Chapter 1

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"I think- I think my powers are still out of wack," Danny admitted to his sister over breakfast. "This morning, I woke- I woke up fl-floating, and there was ice on my sheets." He stirred his cereal. "I had this weird dream, too, like, like, I was walking around the house in, you know, in ghost form."

Jazz stared at him blearily. "That wasn't a dream," she informed him. She pullex a plate from the cupboard, frowned, and replaced it with a bowl.

"Oh," said Danny.

"Yeah, you really need to get a handle on that astral projection stuff."

"Sorry."

"It isn't your fault." She looked at him with concern. "You haven't been having trouble _accessing _your powers, have you?"

Danny shrugged. "I don't think so, but I have- haven't been in all that many fights since I, um, since I got out of the hospital." Almost unwillingly, Danny raised his hand to touch the scar that ran back along his temple. It was still tender, but he didn't flinch.

He hoped his hair would grow over it soon. They had cut it short at the hospital, and he was pretty sure he looked ridiculous.

"You know how I've- how I have been doing here at home, anyway." Danny had started training again almost as soon as he'd gotten home. The last thing he wanted was to be blindsided by a powerful ghost while he was in a weakened state.

Interestingly, and luckily, Phantom hadn't picked up Danny's new scar, Danny's new haircut, or even Danny's new stutter. If he had, well, keeping his secret identity secret would have been much harder. He fidgeted at the thought.

Jazz frowned, gently. "Are you sure you're re-?"

The door that led down into the lab burst open, revealing a mass covered in caution-orange hazmat.

"Danno!" exclaimed the orange mass, better known as Jack Fenton. "Are you ready for your first day back at school?"

Danny winced at the volume. He'd been much more sensitive to loud sounds since he'd been shot. "Ye- Yeah. I think- I think so."

Fall term at Casper High had only started last week, but Danny hadn't been there. He hadn't had an okay from his doctors (well, Vlad's doctors) until this weekend. They'd been concerned about... Well, everything. Seizures, PTSD, migraines, overworking his brain, you name it.

"Great! I'll drive you! To the Fenton Ghost Assault Vehicle!"

Jazz blocked the door before Jack could rush through it. "It's okay, Dad, I already said I'd drive him. It would be silly to drive two cars to school anyway."

"That's okay, Jazzy! I'll drive you too!"

The two Fenton children shared a look. Neither of them wanted to arrive at school in the hugely embarrassing GAV. Not to mention the property damage Jack always caused when he drove.

"I don't think that's safe," tried Jazz. At Jack's look of confusion, she continued, "I mean, the doctors said that Danny shouldn't be making any rapid, jostling movements, and the suspension on the GAV isn't the best."

"She's right, Jack," said Maddie, coming up the stairs and wiping her hands off on a rag. She'd removed her hazmat suit, and was only wearing the spandex under-layer. "The GAV is great for chasing ghosts, but it's a little too bouncy for a ride through town. And remember what the chief of police said, last time."

"That I was a menace to ordered society, and if I ever drove the GAV when there wasn't a ghost, he wouldn't rest until it was sent to the junkyard for scrap?"

"That's it!" said Maddie, entirely too cheery. "And, look, Jack, they're not even done with breakfast yet."

"Ooh! Breakfast!" exclaimed Jack, rocketing off to raid the cereal cabinet.

Danny shook his head. Sometimes, he just didn't understand his parents. Jazz relaxed, and returned to finish her breakfast.

"Crisis averted, huh?" she asked, quietly.

"Crisis averted," agreed Danny.

Maddie sat down at the table. "You are ready to go back, though, aren't you? Just say the word. We can wait another week, or longer. Vlad's offered to find you a tutor."

Danny was very careful not to make a face at that, as was his initial impulse. He was, of course, inclined to reject anything from Vlad as a matter of reflex, but Danny's near-death experience seemed to have spooked Vlad thoroughly. He'd almost been nice, these past couple of weeks, and as long as Vlad was willing to try, so was Danny.

"I want to see how it goes on my own, f-first." He made a face at that. He'd almost gotten through the sentence without stuttering, and ruined it on the last word.

As if mentioning Vlad had summoned him, or at least his attention (and considering what they both were, Danny wasn't going to rule out the possibility), the phone rang.

"Hello?" said Maddie, picking up the phone. "Oh, Vlad! Yes, he's still here." She turned to Danny. "Vlad wants to wish you good luck," she said, handing Danny the phone.

Danny took it. He was careful to make sure he wasn't holding it like a snake.

"Hi."

"Hello, little badger."

"_Please _don't call me- call me that."

There was a long pause.

"Are you sure you are ready to go back?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Wh-what? Because I stuttered? I ha- I had a stutter before, you know. In grade school."

"Because of your _powers_, boy. Surely, you are aware of the risk. If someone sees-"

"It'll be fine as long as I don't fall asleep or get- get drugged."

Another pause. "You are taking your medicine, aren't you? Getting those compounded was expensive."

"_Yes_, Vlad." Danny shook the bottle of pale green pills in his pocket, then glanced up at his mother, who was making herself breakfast. "You know, if you really want- really want to help my day go smoothly, you could try to, you know, to keep dis-distractions away. That would be nice."

Vlad sighed deeply. "I will see what I can do, little badger."

"I said, don't call me-" _*click*_

Danny grumbled at the phone. Stupid fruitloop.

"We'll need to go in about ten minutes," said Jazz.

"I know, I know."

It took them more like fifteen minutes to get out the door, but that was fine. Jazz always put a little wiggle room into her time estimates. Mostly because she was the only member of the family that was anything like punctual.

"So," said Jazz, as they drove down the road, "you have everything?"

"Mhm."

"And you're sure you're ready?"

"_Yes_, Jazz," said Danny, exasperated.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just checking."

Danny sighed. "You know," he said, finally, "it's not- it isn't like this is all bad."

"Danny, you were shot."

"Yeah, but Sam- Sam's parents don't hate me as much any-anymore. An-and the teachers will be- will be nicer to me. And Dash ca-"

There was a great scraping, shattering noise as something impacted the car. Danny was flung sideways, and the car spun. Danny saw stars.

Then nothing at all.


	2. Chapter 2

Connection 2

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Vlad's phone rang. He peered over his reading glasses at the number, and put aside his pen.

"Maddie?" he said as he brought the receiver up to his mouth.

"Vlad!" exclaimed Maddie, too loudly. Vlad grimaced and pulled it away from his face. The volume had been more at Jack's level than what he was accustomed to hearing from Maddie.

She was clearly upset.

"Maddie, is everything alright?"

"No!" There was a sob at the end of the word. "Jazz and Danny have been kidnapped!"

_"What?" _Despite Vlad's years with his powers, and his hard-won control, pink fire flared around his clenched fist. "But I just spoke to Daniel," said Vlad, "not even an hour ago!"

"They- Whoever it was, they grabbed them on the way to school. Oh, god, I should have let Jack drive them. The police found Jazz's car- They _crashed into _Jazz's car. It's totaled, Vlad!"

"Alright, alright," said Vlad. "Maddie, take a deep breath. Where are you right now?"

"We're at home. The police say we might get a call." Maddie sniffed. "They say you should be here. Because the kidnappers probably want you. Because they know we're friends."

"Alright, I'm coming over," said Vlad, shrugging on his jacket.

"The police want to know where you are, so they can send an escort."

"No need," said Vlad. "I have my own security. I will be there shortly." He hit the button to end the call.

How did Daniel get into these messes? More likely than not, he and his sister had been kidnapped by a ghost, not a human. Human kidnappers wouldn't stand a chance against a half-ghost, even one as damaged as Daniel currently was.

On the other hand, Daniel's fragile state might make him more vulnerable, especially if the car crash knocked him out. If the car crash knocked him out... That could be bad. Daniel had been having a hard time with control, especially while he was asleep.

His powers were stable enough, while awake, if Daniel was either in ghost form or properly medicated, but as soon as one of those wasn't true, they became unpredictable at best. If Daniel and Jasmine had been taken by humans, Daniel was dangerously exposed.

And, through him, so was Vlad. Vlad's identity and secret had been threatened once this year already, by those foolish assassins. They _had _almost killed him, though. And Daniel.

They had very nearly killed Daniel. Put a bullet across his skull, and put him in a coma for weeks. Vlad shuddered, and swallowed. He had come so close to losing Daniel entirely. So close to being alone again.

He refused to go through that again. He threw open his doors, and found his bodyguards waiting at attention.

His security detail was made up of ghosts. He should have sent some of them to follow Daniel. Daniel would likely have fought them, but it was the principle of the thing.

He transformed. "We are going to Fentonworks," he announced. "Bring your best disguises."

The ghosts looked uneasy, but Vlad was paying them enough to take risks. They nodded.

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Vlad walked past the brown, unmarked cars that could only belong to police officers, and climbed the steps to knock on the door of Fentonworks. He knocked again, and got no response. Finally, he sighed, and rang Jack's ridiculous novelty doorbell.

Something inside the house howled. Vlad rolled his eyes.

The door slammed over.

"Vladdie!" exclaimed Jack, sweeping him into a bone-crushing hug. The greeting lacked a lot of Jack's usual brightness. It was an act.

Vlad didn't think he had it in him. Color him impressed. Marginally.

Jack pulled him inside. As expected, the building was full of policemen and men in suits. Jack closed the door quickly behind them. One of the suited men walked over, and offered Vlad his hand.

"Hello, Mayor Masters, I'm Agent McSharon, I'm the head of this investigation."

Vlad shook his hand, firmly. "I see. You move fast," he said, observing all the equipment set up in the Fentons' kitchen and living room. True, that in itself wasn't terribly unusual, but the fact that it wasn't glowing gave the scene a rather alien texture.

"Yes," said McSharon, "well, ever since that incident with the 'printer repair' hit man, we've been keeping an eye on any crimes that might involve you."

"So you think that Daniel and Jasmine were targeted because of their association with me?"

"It seems likely," said McSharon. He half-turned and gestured toward the kitchen. "There are a few things we would like you to take a look at."

Two young people in button-down shirts were sitting at the kitchen table, tapping at laptops. Their eyes looked glassy in the blue light of the computer screens.

"Do you two have the traffic camera footage yet?" asked McSharon.

"Yeah, yeah," said the young woman. "It just came in." She spun the laptop around, one finger on the enter button. "Should I play it now?"

"One moment." He looked at Vlad. "You'll want to sit down. I saw the video earlier. It's somewhat graphic." He stepped out of the kitchen. "Mr and Mrs Fenton? The video we wanted you to see has come in."

With the addition of the Fentons, the kitchen was cramped and crowded. Maddie sat down next to Vlad. Her eyes were wet with tears, but they were mostly unshed. She looked angry, more than anything. Jack was too jittery to sit. He loomed behind Vlad and Maddie, his huge hands gripping the back of their chairs.

"Go ahead, Lauren." The girl clicked the button, and started the video.

The scene was an intersection, a quiet one. Brick houses sat on each corner. A woman crossed the street, then exited the frame. Vlad noticed he was holding his breath, and forced himself to breathe at a human rate.

Jasmine's little blue car nosed into scene, the back of Daniel's head visible through the passenger side window. Then, from behind the camera, a much larger vehicle, a pickup truck, slammed into Jasmine's car, spinning it twice before it came to rest against a streetlight.

A man hoped out of the truck, and was joined by four others, who quickly got to work on Jasmine's car. They used a huge pair of bolt cutters to take off one of the doors.

In a minute they had Jasmine out, and the largest of them picked her up, and flipped her over his shoulder. She barely moved. A second one reached in and pulled out Daniel. Daniel was, if anything, even limper that Jasmine. His head lolled to one side and even in the grainy video, Vlad could clearly see blood drip from his face to the asphalt. The men all jogged off-screen, back to wherever they had come from. A few minutes later, the video stopped, the play arrow fading back onto the screen.

"Did you recognize any of them?" asked Agent McSharon.

There was a snapping sound as Jack broke the back off of Vlad's chair.

"Jack!" said Maddie.

Jack shook his head. "I'm sorry. I just-" He broke off and swallowed. "I don't recognize any of them."

"I don't either," said Maddie.

"Nor do I," said Vlad. He had, however, committed all visible features of the kidnappers to memory. When he found them, and he _would _find them, they would regret it. Severely. Forever.

McSharon sighed. "I didn't expect you to."

"Is there anything you can tell us about them, Agent?" asked Vlad, leaning away from the jagged remnants of the back of his chair.

"Not much," said McSharon. "We haven't found them in any databases."

"_Yet," _interjected one of the computer technicians, raising a finger. "We're still looking."

"Even so," said McSharon, "all we know so far is that they appear to be professionals. That's actually _good,_" he said. "It means they're probably looking for a ransom, and the odds of getting Daniel and Jasmine back in one piece are significantly higher."

Maddie made a choked noise in the back of her throat. "If they were _ghosts..._" she said.

"I know, honey," said Jack. "No ghost could keep hold of a Fenton!" Then he sagged. "But they're not ghosts."

McSharon gave them an odd look, and Vlad wondered if the man believed in ghosts. It was unlikely, as he probably wasn't from Amity Park. To his credit, however, he didn't say anything, cast no aspersions on the Fentons' beliefs.

He coughed. "Mr Masters, we have already interviewed Mr and Mrs Fenton, if you will please step aside with me, we can start."

"Of course," said Vlad, smoothly rising. He turned towards Jack and Maddie. "I'm certain Daniel and Jasmine will be found safely. Have hope, Maddie. Jack."

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"Do you know of anyone who would kidnap Jasmine and Daniel to get back at you? Anyone who would seek revenge against you?"

They were seated in the living room, where makeshift barriers had been set up, dividing it from the kitchen and entryway.

"No, no one." No one who would use human agents. "Not unless that assassins' guild, or whatever you would like to call it, is still around. Well, and whoever hired them. I suppose you haven't caught them, yet."

McSharon didn't answer. "Have you noticed anyone or anything unusual in the past few days? Has anyone been hanging around you, so to speak?"

"Not that I've noticed, but you'll have to ask my security team." He gestured to the door. "Two of them are waiting outside."

"We'll do that," said McSharon. "Did you know of any recent changes to Jasmine and Daniel's routines, or schedules?"

"This was going to be Daniel's first day back at school," said Vlad. "But surely Jack and Maddie have already told you that. Ah, I don't know if Jasmine always drives to school on her own, or if she normally takes that route. There wasn't anything else unusual, as far as I'm aware."

McSharon nodded, and made a note. "Was there anyone else who would have known?"

"The school would have known, presumably," said Vlad. "His doctor, too, perhaps. I don't know."

"That's as much as I expected," admitted McSharon.

"Is there anything else that you expect?" asked Vlad. "Or suspect?"

McSharon sighed. "Nothing I would say. We are monitoring the Fentons' phones. We would like to do the same for yours."

"Of course," said Vlad, already planning to keep a few private lines from being tapped.

"We'll need your numbers."

"I'll write them down. But, if that's all you need, I would like to go provide what comfort I can to my friends."

"Yes. Go ahead. Please tell us before you leave, so we know where to find you."

"I don't intend to go anywhere until Daniel and Jasmine are found," said Vlad.

The look that crossed McSharon's face was anything but confident.

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The phone rang at two in the afternoon exactly.

Maddie was the one to pick it up. The agents had her pegged as the most reliable parent, an assessment that Vlad shared.

"This is Maddie Fenton," she said, her voice cracking.

The voice that came through the speaker was harsh and digital. "We know who you are."

"You- You have Jazz and Danny."

"We will speak with Vlad Masters."

Maddie swallowed visibly, and turned over the phone.

"I want proof that Daniel and Jasmine are alive," said Vlad, remembering what the agents had told Maddie to say.

"We want one hundred million dollars and you. You have two hours to decide. We will call you again. Go to the website-" The voice started listing a string of numbers and letters. One of the agents scurried to copy them down. The voice repeated the numbers twice more, then the line clicked and went dead.

"I've got the website," said one of the technicians, the boy. "It's a video. It's-" he paused. "What the heck?"

"What is it?" asked McSharon, sidling around. He frowned at the screen.

Vlad walked around to stand beside him, Jack and Maddie moving at the same time.

"I mean," said the technician, "it looks like a live feed, but there's something- Do you see that?"

The 'live feed' showed Daniel and Jasmine, sitting back to back in wooden chairs, bound together with duct tape. Vlad was relieved to see that they were breathing regularly, if slowly. But once he had registered that detail, others began to stand out. Such as how both of them sagged, unconscious, against their bonds, and how some of their superficial wounds had been treated.

Oh, and the roughly humanoid shadow lurking behind Daniel, flickering in and out of sight between frames, green eyes blinking.

"It's a ghost!" said Jack.

The technician shook his head. "That's not possible. It's got to be something they're putting in. Look how grainy it is, compared to the rest of the video, and it keeps skipping."

"But why?" asked McSharon.

As Vlad watched, the rest of the video turned to static. The figure remained for a moment longer, and then the video went black.

"See? It was some kind of overlay," said the technician.

It wasn't. It really wasn't. Vlad refrained from pinching his nose, or otherwise physically indicating his growing headache.

Daniel's powers were already acting up. This would be difficult.


End file.
